My blogosphere

I’m not going to pretend that the world of blogging is one I’ve been exploring for a long time. Although I did think of starting to blog about a year ago, it was by accident (literally) that I set up a blog and I have only been blogging “properly” for the last month.

Technorati has this great quotation by one Matt: “55 million blogs… some of them have to be good.” I have only begun to explore the blogosphere but here are a few blogs from the Christian scene that I have spent some time at.

There also seem to be a lot of chaplains blogging out there. I’ve enjoyed checking out Maggi Dawn’s stuff (not just because she has linked to me).

Dave Walker at Cartoon Church commented in response to me starting to blog that the C of E as an institution has been fairly “anti-blogging”. I have no idea about that. It’s more likely that a lot of us in the C of E are clueless about new technology and how to use it. I for one am still a beginner. What I do know is that it’s a great way of sharing and cross-pollenating ideas.

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10 Responses to “My blogosphere”

Eh, while blogging and age are probably inversely related, the blogosphere has also earned a reputation for producing more heat than light among those who’ve been wandering it longest. The problem is that the chances to share enable anxiety to sweep across the blogosphere like a wildfire going through fields of dry grass on the American Great Plains.

Yes, my comment about the C of E being ‘fairly anti blogging’. I went on to edit to that rather misleading phrase to say ‘the more centralised institutions of the Church of England have generally been fairly anti-blogging up until now’.

By that I meant that there have been several instances where ‘the Authorities’ have come down heavily on those blogging from within some of the central institutions of the church – in these instances blogging was seen as a threat rather than an opportunity. I am aware of course that a great many clergy and lay people now blog and that ideas are, as you say, shared in a most positive way.

I am really very pleased to see that you have started your blog talking about emerging church and other such things and that a media officer somewhere hasn’t talked you out of it! I hope that more bishops do the same.

I am sure that( with the exception of the Central Insitutions which are still struggling to shake off old Civil Service style shackles) it is ignorance and myths that keeps the Church away from blogging. The myths include:
that is is a diary of what you do each day – which it very rarely is on Christian blogs
that it must take up a lot of time which clergy could better spend on real clergy tasks (even if it did take up more time what other medium communicates so widely and locally at the same time)
that sooner or later you will “offend” some-one (not if you follow the simple rule of not writing something you wouldn’t be prepared to say about or to the the subject.

The best things about my blog are
I communicate with a whole network of people and generation of people locally who never go anywhere near the Church
Its sparks ideas and contacts that it would be hard to find through any other medium – particular among other practioners of missional churches
I have learnt that you do not need to be an expert – just offer real thoughts and experiences – and people seem very supportive and gentle with you, and willing to share by email amazing truths about their lives – and via comments sometimes.
it reminds the congregation that I have a life outside being Vicar which is still part of my task of being a missional priest in a Diocese where we are encouraged to spend 10-20% of our clergy time on ministry outside the parish.
I hope that you will encourage your Brother Bishops (and sisters Bishops too before long) to read your blog and start one themselves.

Charity, I have definitely not restricted myself to Christian stuff, just thought I’d start there. I will flag up some other stuff in due course.

Lee, I’d checked out your djvicar stuff and like it a lot. It’s a good use of your blog. I’ll also take the opportunity to plug my lad, Nick’s music (if you’re into drum’n’bass): http://www.myspace.com/lomaxdnb .

I, for one, am so glad Mike that you set up your blog – sorry for the reason that started it but……God moves in mysterious ways! It is a fantastic way for someone like me – a Granny ! to get a much wider view of things in what would otherwise be a fairly small Cof E local church. I have always felt we have to think “outside our boxes” and who knows, the christian communities of the future may come to rely very much on this form of sharing together if other more conventional ways are closed to them.
I too am so glad that Anthea is progressing – please give her my love, and tell her I am STILL doing the toddler groups and the Pre-school and have fond memories of when I helped Anthea and Alison Clare when Tommy and Lella were there.

Am constantly amazed by the amount of rubbish in blogs – but also of gems as well — lots of Anglican/Episcopalian stuff going on, lots of it very reflective and useful (including this one, thank you Bishop!) Some of us boring old Vicars enjoy blogging too, in between all the other stuff…